Robinson: I am very optimistic about the future

Head coach Andy Robinson insists there is no sense of doom and gloom in the England camp despite suffering a record 41-20 home defeat to New Zealand.

The All Blacks racked up the highest points total ever for a visiting team at Twickenham yesterday as fly-half magician Dan Carter ran the show.

England now head into Saturday's clash with Argentina on the back of six straight defeats, their worst run of results since 1972.

Robinson was further frustrated when the television match official denied Jamie Noon what appeared to every other observer to be a perfectly good try, which would have put England ahead.

But there were enough shards of light at the newly refurbished Twickenham to leave Robinson buoyed by the performance.

"I'm hugely disappointed to lose the game but also hugely encouraged," Robinson said.

"The pleasing thing for me was the ambition that we showed - particularly the Noon try that wasn't, the Noon try that was and some of the attacks we launched.

"The players really put their hands up and I feel we can take that forward into Argentina and South Africa.

"I'm very disappointed with the defeat but hugely impressed with our attitude and the way we prepared.

"I don't think the recovery job is greater than we imagined."

England made a positive start and thought they had taken the lead when Noon crashed over after just four minutes.

But television official Christophe Berdos refused to award the try, much to England's puzzlement and frustration, and New Zealand escaped.

Noon said: "I feel robbed by the decision. I was lying on the ball over their line, so I don't understand why the try wasn't given.

"I scored the try, and there is no reason why it should not have been given - it was a bizarre decision, but you just have to get on with it."

Robinson called for a rethink in the procedure of using the television match official.

He said: "Unfortunately, Joel went to the TMO and I don't know why he did that. I'm told he asked the wrong question of his compatriot.

"He asked Berdos if he could see the ball and the answer was 'no', so the try wasn't given. The question he should have asked is 'is there any reason the try can't be given?'

"This situation needs to be clarified. Technology improves the game and it's right it's there but this was clearly a try and it wasn't a good decision."

New Zealand reacted to their good fortune in clinical fashion. Within 16 minutes, the All Blacks led 13-0 after Rico Gear's break created the opening for Aaron Mauger to score.

Noon made amends for England after Anthony Allen's half break but the All Blacks raced into a 28-5 lead just before the interval with an intercept try from Joe Rokocoko and a brilliant team score finished by prop Carl Hayman.

"In that 10 minute period, they scored two tries from turnovers and Dan Carter kicked a penalty from the 50-metre line," said Robinson.

"They know how to score from turnovers. They also have a kicking machine in Dan Carter who can punish you - even inside his own half. Rugby is a simple game and they play it very well."

Winger Ben Cohen crossed for England early in the second half only for Carter to run in New Zealand's fourth try after shaking off a weak tackle from Allen.

England's debutant scrum-half Shaun Perry capped a combative Test debut with a breakaway try of his own after 55 minutes but it was scant consolation.

"The learning process has got to be quick as we have got to put something together in time to play Argentina and we can't dwell on New Zealand now," said Robinson.

"The key thing for us is to work hard at developing the positives."

Robinson has delayed his team announcement for the Argentina game until tomorrow.